BEYOND EXCELLENT

Wright, Bil. Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy. NY: Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2011. Print. 
ISBN 978-1-4169-3996-2 
Hardcover, $16.99  
219 pages

***AWARDS AND HONORS***

Stonewall Book Award, 2012

Cover Page Artwork Copyright © Simon & Schuster BFYR 2011 

ANNOTATION

When teenage makeup artist Carlos Duarte lands his dream job as a Macy’s cosmetics consultant, he works his artistic talent, quick wit, and personability in every possible way.  Nothing stands in his way—not even the comical and sometimes desperate circumstances he faces on the rise to the top of his professional and personal development.  

BOOKTALK (Snap'N Read)



Get ready to laugh! Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy is beyond fabulous…beyond memorable…and beyond hilarious! Carlos Duarte is a New York City high-schooler and aspiring makeup artist with all the ambition necessary to become the next big thing in the ugly beauty business game.  

When Carlos lands his dream job as a Macy’s FeatureFace makeup consultant with more than just a little support from his friends, he works his artistic talent, quick wit, and absolutely brilliant people skills in every possible way. Nothing stands in his way—not the high-paced and cutthroat industry…not the drama of his family life…and certainly not the mixed signals he gets from his hot rocker crush at school. However, nothing’s entirely perfect for Carlos, as he describes with heaps of humor:

Our code for it is “vegan,” which we thought was hysterically funny when we first made it up. I’m a “vegan.” What that really means is that I’m a virgin. I’ve never had a relationship, never had…like I said, I’m a “vegan.” I’ve had crushes on people, lots of them. Usually they’re guys in magazines or on television. Sometimes just somebody I’ve passed on the street.” (85)  

Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy has all the ingredients of a hit movie-in-the-making or a book series-to-be. It’s full of classic characters, fast-paced action, and laugh-out-loud narration. Carlos is a total trip, and this book will take you on one as you explore a day in the life of a “makeup artist to the stars” (219)!

Title Page Artwork Copyright © Simon & Schuster BFYR 2011 

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RELATED RESOURCES (COOL STUFF)

>>> Watch a book trailer here...

>>> For more information about Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy and author Bil Wright, check out this interview...

 

EVERY NOW AND THEN

Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003. Print.
ISBN 0-689-84922-2
Hardcover, $15.95
131 pages

***AWARDS AND HONORS***

Coretta Scott King Award, 2004

Michael L. Printz Award, 2004

Cover Artwork Copyright © Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 2003

ANNOTATION

When New York City teenagers Bobby and Nia find out about Nia’s unexpected pregnancy, a new baby introduces plenty of responsibilities and unexpected challenges for the two families.  Narration of this modern classic alternates between past and present from the perspective of the young father. 

BOOKTALK (Open End / Snap'N Read / Wrap Back to the Title)



What would you change if you could live your life in reverse?  For our narrator, “…if the world were really right, humans would live life backward and do the first part last.  They’d be all knowing in the beginning and innocent in the end” (4). 

As if life in New York City weren’t tricky enough, learning how to be a teenage parent is just one more bite out of The Big Apple.  Bobby and Nia face a tough decision.  They’re still young—hanging out, messing around, living life, and loving it.  When they find out Nia’s pregnant, however, their world totally gets flipped upside down.  A baby means a lot of new responsibilities and unexpected challenges for these two and their families.
 
Bobby adores Feather, and tells how life takes on a completely different meaning once she’s born.  He loves this baby, and really has a hard time letting her go.  But is our narrator willing to turn over his backpack, comic books, and graffiti-tag glory days for a diaper bag, sleepless nights, and newfound fatherhood?  Will Nia see what Bobby sees, and stick around to learn what it means to be a mother?  What would you decide if you could be one of those all-knowing people who gets to take a peek at The First Part Last?    

Title Page Artwork Copyright © Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 2003

TEEN VOICE

"The First Part Last is written in a way that's really different from most novels I'm used to reading.  The book transitions from the past to the present—or, as the author calls it, 'now' and 'then.'  At first, this format was tough to follow—but it got easier and less confusing when I read more of the story.  

"I think this is a great read for young adults because it shows us the importance of being responsible, caring, and optimistic."

Shivani A., age 19

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RELATED RESOURCES (COOL STUFF)

>>> Check out a book trailer...

>>> For another librarian's perspective, check out this detailed booktalk...

GHOSTS OF THE CONFEDERACY

Campbell Bartoletti, Susan. They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group. NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. Print.

ISBN 978-0-618-44037-7

Hardcover, $19.00
176 pages

***AWARDS AND HONORS***

ALA YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist, 2011

A Junior Library Guild Selection, 2011

Cover Artwork Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2010

ANNOTATION

This gripping and heartfelt non-fiction account of the Ku Klux Klan and its social detriment documents the history of the group in the Reconstruction aftermath of the United States Civil War.  The author confronts sociopolitical history through firsthand accounts of the times and a wide range of rare imagery.

BOOK REVIEW

Most fictional horror stories don’t come anywhere near the level of real-life terror captured in this graphic historical account of the rise of America’s most infamous hate group, the Ku Klux Klan. They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group traces the early developments of a post-Civil War secret society as it quickly spread beyond Tennessee like a cureless disease within just a few short years. As early as 1866, the club’s bigoted pranks and mysticism gave rise to a White supremacist culture of mass violence, humiliation, oppression, and death across the American South—all at a time when the country was divided between Northern Republican Yankees (who were liberal) and Southern Democrat Confederates (who were far more conservative).  The Ku Klux Klan systematically preyed on the social weaknesses of freed Black slaves and White sympathizers through violent and often deadly tactics, laying the groundwork for current-day White-supremacy organizations (including the persistent Klan, itself). This non-fiction masterpiece is an essential addition to any mature teen’s reading list.

Title Page Artwork Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2010

Susan Campbell Bartoletti presents a gripping and heartfelt exhibition of sociopolitical history; fascinating firsthand accounts of the times; and a wide range of rare illustrations and photographs to deliver her message. The facts are totally gut-wrenching, and the author weaves together varied tales of one of America’s most significant atrocities in a highly-effective way. Be sure to read all the way through the final pages of the “Bibliography and Source Notes,” where Campbell Bartoletti recounts her risky research methods, including attendance at a modern-day Klan Congress retreat in the backwoods of Arkansas. The enduring legacy and influence of the Ku Klux Klan is alarming: “Of all the speeches I heard…one haunts me more than the others. ‘We are planting thousands of seeds among high school students,’ said a Klanswoman who had traveled from Kentucky. ‘We don’t need robes…a silent majority in America agrees with us” (168). Hopefully, the true silent majority will turn out to be the many informed readers of this aching account of America’s sad-but-true history filled with hatred, violence, and the ultimate search for peace.

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RELATED RESOURCES (COOL STUFF)

>>> Check out the book trailer...

>>> Check out this interview with author Susan Campbell Bartoletti...

>>> For more information on this book and author, visit Susan Campbell Bartoletti online.